Frank jones and ernest jones



March V15 1927. 1,621,205

' F. JONES ET AL EvXPANDING' BRACELET Filed Jan. 31. 1923 l l l Patented Mar. 15, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK JONES AND ERNEST JONES, OF BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND.

EXPANDING BRACELET.

Application filed J'anuaryv31, 1923, Serial No; 616,146, and in Great Britain February 3, 1922.

This invention has reference to expanding bracelets of the type in which a series of pairs of side-plates or side-links are connected at their ends by cross-pins that pass transversely through and are slidable within sideslotted centre links; each centre-link contain ing two spiral springs disposed end to end, or in alignment with one another, and each having a lixed abutment on a closed end of the centre-link and a sliding abutment on the cross pin of a complementary pair of side plates, so that whilst the expanding thrust of the springs normally tends to draw the side plates together endwise and so maintain the bracelet in its contracted condition, the application of end-wise pull to the chain will compress the springs between their respective stationary and sliding abutments and longitudinally displace the side plates relatively to the spring-containing centre-links for expanding the bracelet.

In bracelets of this type as ordinarily constructed, straight wire pins are used to join up the ends of the side plates and serve as abutment-S for the springs contained in the centrelinks, and as these pins have of necessity to be connected to the side plates a distance inwards of the extremities of the latter, the expansion capacity of the bracelet is consequently limited.

According to our present invent-ion, we preferably use as the movable abutments for the pair ot' springs in each centre-link, crosspins or slides of the cranked type and dispose the cranks toward -one another so that the spring-abutment parts thereof may come together back-to-back in the fully-contracted condition of the bracelet, and to maintain the springs in proper relation to their abutments on the center link ends and on the crossslides, we mount the two springs of each centre link on a fixed longitudinal guide wire that passes through central holes or clearances inthe said slides (the sole function of these wires being to correctly locate the springs in relation to their moving and fixed abutments). While the use of the guide wire is preferred, it is to` be understood that the same may be omitted withoutdeparting from the scope of our invention, as we find that the other features of our invention combine to produce a highly satisfactory expanding bracelet even without the use of the fixed guide wire. To eliminate friction between the said slides and the spring guides and ensure smooth and easy expansion and contraction of the bracelet, we make the guide-wire clearances in the slides of an area larger than the section of the wire and we prevent twisting or angular displacement of the slides (such as might cause the said slides to bind on the wires and also deform or distort the springs in a manner that might cause the latter likewise to bind on the wires) by using the center link side-slots as guides for the slides, or by interconnecting the slides with the said side-slots in such a manner' that the said slides cannot twist or rock inside the links, the only relative movement possible between the slides and the links is of a sliding nature. This interconnection of the slides with the centre links further enables the outer extremities of the former to be used as non-rotatable pivots for the side-plates to give the desired circumferential flexibility to the bracelet.

The application of our invention to expanding bracelet chain is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is an elevation of a length of the said chain.

Figure 2 is a sectional plan showing the parts in the positions they respectively assume when the chain is contracted.

Figure 8 is a similar sectional plan showing the chain expanded to the maximum extent. Y

Figure 4l is a view in which one of the centre-links is shown in longitudinal section on the section line 4*-4, Figure 3, and the complementary side-plates are shown in ele vation.

Figure 5 shows one of the centre-links in side elevation the slides being drawn in se'ction to illustrate how the side-webs of the said slides engage the slots of the link to prevent relative twisting or angular movement between the slides and the link.

Figure 6 is a section of Figure 4 on the section line 6 6.

Figure 7 shows one of the slides in elevation, plan and side view, and

Figure 8 is an elevation and a longitudinal section of one of the side plates.

The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several iigures.'

In the chain shown in the said drawing', a are the side-slotted centre-links and b', b2, are the pairs of side-plates:` c', c2 are the spring-abutment slides that are displaceable longitudinally relatively to the centre-link, and to the 'outer extremities of which the side-plates are pivot-ed, Whilst a3, d2, are the compressible springs Which are interposed respectively .between the said slides-and ythe closed ends of the centre link illustrated in Figures 2 and 3.

According; to our said invention, the .slides c', c2, are cranked in opposite directions substantially as shown so as to disposetheir middle or spr-ing abutment port-ions (Z3 inwards ot the side-plate pivots Clt; the extent of this cranking (in the illustrated construction.)`

being snch that, when the chain is tui-ly contracted, as shown in Figure Q, the portions d ojlI the two slides abut or come together back to back in substantially the same plane as the -meeting'eirtremities `ot vthe side-plates that are connected ,to 'the said slides-'this plan being indicated by 'the dotted line in the said Figure 2.

ln this Way the lengths ot the vtivo springacc-(mnnodation spaces available inside each centre-link are increased to extents corresponding to the crankings of the slides, `thus permitting ot the use ot correspondingly longer sp 'ings and augmenting the ntotal ei;- tensi'bility ot the bracelet, whilstthe arrangement also ensures that the spring system can draw the ends of the 'adjacent -pairs o't'side plates close together or into actual 'contact in ine fully-cont acted Condition ot' 'the chai-n.

rlhe middle or spring-bearing 'portions d3 ot' the slides are pret rably ot a shale as will aiord an adequate surface tor its spring to thrust against, Whilst to maintain the springs in correctrelation to the said abutments d, a. longitudinal guide-Wire or runner le is fixed 'between the opposite ends ot thel centre link and holes or clearances f are pierced in the centres otl the slide-abutments for the accon'miodatio-n ot this stationary guidewire; the areas -ot these clearances being larger than the section of the Wires (see Figure so as to avoid `friction vbetween these parts.

To prevent twisting or rotational displacement oit the slides such as might cause 'them to rub or bend on the guide-Wires and also bring about spring distortion tending to set up friction or binding ot the springs on the Wires, theslides are -keyed lto the centre-links by means ot the side portions g -ot the cranks (i. e. by the parts ot the cranks that extend 'trom the spring-bearing portions to the side plate pivots) these sides g being made ot a depth `or section only a little rless than 'the depth ot the centre-link side-slots h, land in assembling the parts, the said crank-sides Vare made to `tit-or .engage Within the .corresponding slots (see Figures 5 and 6) in such a Way that'whilst the A'slides can 'move freely the lengthwise direction of vthe Ycentre-link, ythey are incapable ot rotational or angular movement relatively thereto.

Tie extremities ot the key-line sides of each slide are bent outwardly and arranged to project laterally beyond the .opposite sides ot the centre-link and constitute the sideplate pivots; these bent-out ends being formed with small heads or enlargements Whereto the lends ot the `complementary sideplates may so be pivoted or connected to the slides that when the bracket is in use, the side plates can hinge or ivork on the said pivots When the chain is flexed circumferentially Without transmitting any spring-distorting movement tothe slides. Y

rIiie assembly oi the side plates to lthe slide-pivots may be provided ,tor 'by torniing in the middles o'i' the inner sides of the said plates, gates y' large enough to pass over the Vpivot heads and providing longitudinal slots y" extending troni the Vgate toi'vards the ends ot the links, as shown in Figure 4-, along which the pivot-necks ot the slides are drai'vn atter the heads 'ot such pilvo'ts have been passed through the gate.

Any other method may,rhoivever, be adopted torconnecting the side-plates to the slides so long as provision is made ltor the pivoting or angular movenrient or" the said plates relatively to the centre-links.

Having described our invention, what We claim vand desire to secure by Letters Patent-is:-

An expanding bracelet comprising nter-k ccnnected pairs `of side plates and center links, the center links being interposed between .the members 'ot adjacent -pairs of side `alates cranked sorinc abutment slides hava es ing portions slidab'ly inter'titted with the side plates, said side plates and Ysaid spring abutment slides having cooperating guide means to 'ho-ld the slides against twisting and constrain 'them to proper movement, said slides having spring abutment .portions located Within the center )links and connecting portions between the abutment vportions and the guide means ot the slides, said center links having slots accommodating the connecting portions, springs abutting the abutment portions otl the vslides and the ends oi the center links, and a .Xed guide Wire eX- tending axially through each center link and throu'gl-i the springs therein, said abutment portions having` openings larger than the Wires and through which vthe AWires extend loosely whereby the guide Wires serve solely 'for the purpose ot locatingand maintaining the springs in correct relationship to their abutments.

In testimony whereof they hereunto aliix their signatures.

FRANK Jonas. ERNEST Jonas.

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